1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to writing devices and particularly relates to a finger-mounted writing apparatus which utilizes the operator's fingertip to support the apparatus during use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Students, clerical help, and many professionals must often spend many hours each day reading through and highlighting books and other documents. Originally, the highlighting markers available for purchase were quite bulky, having diameters often around 3/4 inch. In more recent years, thinner markers have been marketed. Highlighting does not require the dexterity associated with pens and pencils, in which the user must have very controlled, guided movements of the instrument. Nevertheless, particularly if used for long periods of time, the usual highlighting marker will become quite tiring to the hand because of the constant and fairly substantial pressure necessary to prevent slipping and sliding of the fingers along the straight, generally cylindrical, surface of the instrument holder.
Additionally, the user will often desire to, not only highlight pages, but also, concurrently, make annotations on the document with a pen or pencil. On such occasions he has to alternatively be putting the marker and pen down, to switch between the pen and the marker.
Although the art is replete with writing devices which have been suggested as solutions for gripping pens none of the prior proposals have met with any significant commercial success. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,556, entitled "FINGER PEN", issued to J. Brown, discloses a finger-mounted ball point pen which utilizes a padded tray that passes along the ventral side of the index finger, with a padded tip, and a Velcro.TM. strap which secures the end of the index finger to the tray. Although the Brown device is an aid to arthritic and handicapped persons and also to children, the device does not provide ample support during it's use, there being no provision for accurate guided writing. Instead the user's wrist must be cocked in a stressful position, the finger becoming tired during the use thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 684,685, entitled "FOUNTAIN PEN", issued to W. Gerst, has similar deficiencies.
Several inventions have been patented which provide support means for assisting the user. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 391,199, entitled "WRITING PEN", issued to C. Seabaugh, discloses a writing implement which uses a thimble, which is adapted to be applied to the forefinger of a hand. The thimble is formed of a length sufficient to cover the end of the finger from its lower joint to the end of the finger nail. One side of the thimble is extended far enough to reach the middle joint of the finger. This extension forms a rest, against which the thumb may rest and thus help to guide and control the pen.
U.S. Pat. No. 488,945, entitled "WRITING DEVICE", issued to A. Nelson, discloses the use of concave plate for supporting the thumb.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,338, entitled "WRITING INSTRUMENT", issued to S. Laybourne, discloses an instrument having a gripping section and a rearward support section. The support section tapers outwardly and curves upwardly and is of such length that it nests against and is supported by the inner surface of the index finger of the user while not interfering with normal finger contact on the gripping section. Thus, during use, the Laybourne instrument is supported by the index finger the thumb, and the second finger.
None of the aforementioned patents is directed to a highlighting marker. Furthermore, none of these references effectively minimizes stress during use.